Made In The Image Of God
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series II Cycle B
Darla had always suffered from bouts of depression and low self-esteem. As a teenager, she felt as if everyone stared at her whenever she would get another pimple. Though thin, Darla was sure all the kids at school would notice if she gained a pound. Darla felt she was the only one on earth who had to suffer a combination of large nose, fine hair, tiny ears, and crooked teeth. She hated herself.
Many years of counseling had helped her gain perspective. After all, didn't every person have flaws? The counselor told her everyone had insecurities and imperfections, but how we handled these feelings made the difference.
Darla recalled the four happiest days of her life: her wedding and the birth of each of the three girls. She had taken down all the mirrors in the house and prayed the girls would inherit their looks from their father. Time went on and a mirror was added every now and then.
Darla and her husband went to a party one night and met nice people from their new neighborhood. Darla kept wondering what people thought of her. Would they notice the scar under her chin? What was her hair doing? Would they think the mole on her neck was a pimple? She went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror.
She tugged at her hair, covered the mole, and checked the scar. She was fine, she reminded herself. Just then she caught sight of a sticker on the corner of the mirror. The inscription made her pause: "Do you see yourself as God sees you?" It had the name of the local Catholic diocese at the bottom. She read the question again. Do you see yourself as God sees you?
Darla stopped fidgeting with her face and wondered. How did God see her? Did God see the problems on her face? On her body? In her mind? Did God see the obstacles, faults, character flaws that every one of us has?
She practiced her self-esteem mental exercise. What was the positive alternative? Made in the image of God? Surely God wasn't that ugly! She caught herself. Made in God's likeness -- with feelings, thoughts, and fears?
The question from the silver sticker stuck by her for months as she pondered the answer. Did she have the potential to be a child of God? Finally, she reached a conclusion: "I, Darla, with all my skills and scars, am one of God's children. A child of God made to love and care for others. I am made in the image of God."
Today, there is a small piece of paper on Darla's bathroom mirror. Daily she asks herself, with a smile: "Do you see yourself as God sees you?" She always nods yes.
Many years of counseling had helped her gain perspective. After all, didn't every person have flaws? The counselor told her everyone had insecurities and imperfections, but how we handled these feelings made the difference.
Darla recalled the four happiest days of her life: her wedding and the birth of each of the three girls. She had taken down all the mirrors in the house and prayed the girls would inherit their looks from their father. Time went on and a mirror was added every now and then.
Darla and her husband went to a party one night and met nice people from their new neighborhood. Darla kept wondering what people thought of her. Would they notice the scar under her chin? What was her hair doing? Would they think the mole on her neck was a pimple? She went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror.
She tugged at her hair, covered the mole, and checked the scar. She was fine, she reminded herself. Just then she caught sight of a sticker on the corner of the mirror. The inscription made her pause: "Do you see yourself as God sees you?" It had the name of the local Catholic diocese at the bottom. She read the question again. Do you see yourself as God sees you?
Darla stopped fidgeting with her face and wondered. How did God see her? Did God see the problems on her face? On her body? In her mind? Did God see the obstacles, faults, character flaws that every one of us has?
She practiced her self-esteem mental exercise. What was the positive alternative? Made in the image of God? Surely God wasn't that ugly! She caught herself. Made in God's likeness -- with feelings, thoughts, and fears?
The question from the silver sticker stuck by her for months as she pondered the answer. Did she have the potential to be a child of God? Finally, she reached a conclusion: "I, Darla, with all my skills and scars, am one of God's children. A child of God made to love and care for others. I am made in the image of God."
Today, there is a small piece of paper on Darla's bathroom mirror. Daily she asks herself, with a smile: "Do you see yourself as God sees you?" She always nods yes.
